The disclosure relates generally to control systems and methods for a water bath heater. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to controlling a water bath heater for adjusting the temperature of a fuel gas to reduce the power consumption of the water bath heater.
Gas turbine power plants generally incorporate fuel gas delivery systems to supply fuel gas for the gas turbines. The pipeline pressure of the fuel gas delivery systems may at times need to be reduced, for example, when the pressure reaches 1500 pounds per square inch (psi). Pressure reduction stations may be incorporated to reduce the pipeline pressure of the fuel gas. Decreasing the pipeline pressure of the fuel gas may result in the formation of ice and hydrate due to the Joule-Thompson effect of the pressure change created by the control valve types and configurations used in the pressure reduction stations. Build-up of ice and hydrate within the system may cause a significant pressure drop and clog the pipe line to interrupt fuel supply to power plant.
Conventional solutions to prevent the formation of ice and hydrate, and therefore significant drops in fuel gas supply pressure to power plant, can include modified valve designs, and super heating the fuel gas via water bath heater before it reaches the pressure reduction station. For example, conventional super heating systems may incorporate an on/off control switch for controlling heat application to the fuel gas by a constant temperature increase assuming the worst case scenario, irrespective of the actual required temperature increase for preventing ice and hydrate formation. Such systems may decrease the pipeline pressure of the fuel gas, and/or increase power plant energy consumption and operational costs.